notes: Christmastide

Notes for the Liturgy during Christmastide

1. At Christmas each Priest may celebrate three Masses (and retain the three stipends): Mass of the night, Mass at dawn, and Mass of the day. Priests who celebrate three Masses without interruption must follow these guidelines: (i) there is no ablution, even of water, after the first and second Mass; the Priest should purify his fingers in the ablution bowl; at the first two Masses the Chalice is simply recovered with the purificator, pall and veil and left on the corporal; and (ii) at the Offertory, a new Host is brought by the server. The Priest does not wipe the Chalice before he pours the wine and the water.

2. At the second Mass on Christmas Day there is a commemoration of St. Anastasia, even at a sung Mass. At the third Mass there is no Last Gospel; the Last Gospel of the Epiphany formerly said at this point has been suppressed.

3. The faithful who received Communion at Midnight Mass may also receive Communion at another Mass during the day.

4. The Communicantes of Christmas is used from December 25h through to January 1st (Octave Day of the Nativity): at midnight, "noctem sacratissimam"; at the other Masses, "diem sacratissimum".

5. On December 29th, 30th, and 31st, the Proper is taken from the Mass Puer Natus during the Octave of the Nactivity. On January 2nd, the Proper is taken from the Mass of the Octave Day of the Nativity (January 1st). On January 7th to 9th, the Mass is of the Epiphany. On January 12th, the Mass is of the first Sunday of the Epiphany.

6. A Plenary Indulgence may be gained by publicly saying or singing the Te Deum in thanksgiving on December 31st; a Plenary Indulgence may also be gained by publicly saying or singing Veni Creator Spiritus on January 1st.

7. The Gloria is said at every Mass of the seaons, even of the feria, during Christmastide.

8. The Daily Mass for the Dead is prohibited on all ferias of Christmastide and throughout the former Octave of the Epiphany.

(excerpted/adapted from the 2009 Liturgical Ordo, Priestly Fraternity of St Peter)

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